Birshatar
Birshatar, formally the Birshatari Arab Republic, is a country in the northeastern Toy Islands bordering Muzaffaridistan, Waqata and Drondaria. The capital and largest city is Haljarah. The majority of the population of over 60 million is made up of Arab immigrants, and the country is officially a Ba'athist republic. Birshatar was first colonised by the French in 1678, but only became a major population centre in the 19th century when large numbers of Arab immigrants arrived in the region. In 1946, the Birshatari War of Independence began when Fayiz Samara declared Birshatar an independent country, and French troops left in 1953. After the revolution, the country became part of the non-aligned movement, but gradually grew closer to the Tabi'atstani bloc. Officially, Birshatar follows a Ba'athist ideology, but in reality it has ceased to encourage the formation of a pan-Arab state since the 1970s. Although it is allied with Tabi'atstan, it maintains a highly independent foreign policy, and did not become involved in the SNA-NGL War. Since the Muzaffaridistani Islamic Revolution of 1996, both Birshatar and Muzaffaridistan have established substantial influence over Waqatan affairs, and use the country as a buffer zone and balance against Drondaria, which is aligned with the Barbergen Zone. Birshatar is a member of several international organisations, including the United Nations and the Alliance of Toy Islands. Geographically, Birshatar is comprised of a large archipelago with many small islands. Most of the country is covered in desert, and the climate has a Köppen climate classification of Csa. Much of the country's water supply is derived from large desalination plants located on the coast. The majority of the Birshatari economy is based around the oil industry, although there is also a strong fishing industry. The economy is highly regulated by the government, and the oil industry is entirely state-owned. However, there are many private businesses, particularly in the tourism and food production sectors. History Colonisation After the end of the Franco-Dutch War in 1678, the Kingdom of France set up a colony in Birshatar, hoping to surround the Dutch in the Toy Islands and reduce their sphere of influence. Due to the harsh climate, the colony did not grow to a large size, and the population remained quite small. Arabisation By the 19th century, France desired to make its colony in Birshatar profitable, and to this end brought Arab slaves to assist in the building of this settlement in the harsh Birshatari desert. In the 19th century, many Arabs from the Levant started emigrating to foreign countries, with one major destination being Birshatar. At this point in history, Lebanon and Syria were ruled by the Ottoman Empire, with Arabs leaving due to religious persecution, overpopulation in Lebanon, and conscription in both Lebanon and Syria. Furthermore, large numbers of Hadhrami Arabs also emigrated to the Toy Islands during this time period. Numerous Egyptians also made the journey to Birshatar as a result of the confiscation of land in Egypt beginning in 1808 under the Khedivate. By 1870, Arabs had become the dominant ethnic group in Birshatar. After the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882, the French also helped Egyptians flee to Birshatar as retaliation for the loss of their influence in Egypt at the benefit for the British. World War I Interwar years World War II Birshatari War and Independence In 1946, Fayiz Samara declared the independence of the Birshatari archipelago from France, sparking the Birshatari War of Independence. On the 17th January 1953, French troops withdrew from Birshatar, and Samara announced the formation of the Birshatari Arab Republic. Cold War Following independence, Birshatar initially pursued a policy of non-alignment to prevent itself from becoming a pawn in Cold War politics. However, due to poor relations with France and to a certain extent the rest of the Western world, Birshatar began to take Soviet leanings, although it did not become a Marxist state. Birshatari relations took another drastic turn in 1964, the year of the Sino-Soviet split. Acting pragmatically, President Samara attempted to foster better relations with the USSRT, whose relations with the Soviet Union were beginning to cool. Samara chose to align the Birshatari Arab Republic with the USSRT because of its geographical proximity, due to the fact that immediate aid would be required in the case of hostilities with either the politically unstable Republic of Waqata or the rabidly anti-Arab Imperial State of Muzaffaridistan. However, despite close ties between Tabi'atstan and Birshatar, Birshatar did not become a Tabi'atstani satellite state, preferring to remain non-aligned in the Cold War environment. On the 5th April 1989, Birshatari troops were deployed in Waqata under the guise of the Northern Deterrent Force to support Shomari Kiira's military government there. Modern era Following the Islamic revolution in Muzaffaridistan in 1996, the new Muzaffaridistani government attempted to normalise relations with Birshatari government. The Birshatari government was happy to oblige, as this would end Birshatar's long running major security concern. Apart from this, the ruling class of Birshatar were primarily Alawites, who wanted to gather more religious legitimacy to help pacify the majority Sunni Muslims and Twelver Shia Muslims. The two countries signed a Treaty of Friendship in 1999. On the 11th June 2017, Birshatar suffered a bomb attack in the capital city of Haljarah that killed 21 and injured over 50. Geography Birshatar is an archipelago centred on two main islands, with most of its territory being composed of deserts. Buhkerdah and Tabnajkah have large swamps whilst Birkunen and Sadirabh have mountain ranges where temperatures can be much lower than the rest of the country. Overall, the country has a Köppen climate classification of BSh (hot semi-arid). Biodiversity Birshatar has large populations of feral dromedary camels, which were introduced to the country in the 1800s under French colonial rule. Politics and government The Birshatari National Assembly is split between the National Progressive Front and various independent candidates. The NPF consists of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party - Birshatar Region (commonly referred to as the "Birshatari Ba'athist Party"), the Birshatari Socialist Party, the Birshatari Communist Party, the Union of Birshatari Social Democrats, the Birshatari People's Party, the Birshatari Social Nationalist Party, the Arab Socialist Union of Birshatar, and the Iihya ("Revival") Movement. The current president of Birshatar is Baqir Shihab al-Hashim, the son of Shihab al-Hashim, who served as the previous president. Law and crime Civilian law enforcement in Birshatar is primarily the responsibility of the Birshatari Police Force. Other additional law enforcement agencies include the Gendarmerie, the Frontier Desert Guard, and the Mobile Force. There is also a semi-official paramilitary militia called the Saqr Protection Brigades which helps put down dissent and support counter-insurgency operations. Additionally, Birshatar has a paramilitary law enforcement agency specifically dedicated to protecting oil infrastructure called the Oil Protection Force. The country has various intelligence agencies, including the General Intelligence Directorate and the Special Security Agency. Human rights The Birshatari government has occasionally been criticised by the international community for not respecting or protecting human rights. Torture is used by the security forces to extract information from suspects, and prison conditions are notoriously poor. The Republican Guard and other security forces are known for using heavy handed tactics in putting down protests and internal dissent, with protestor deaths being quite common. The government has also been accused of ordering extrajudicial killings and disappearances. Media in Birshatar is monitored by the Ministry of Information, headquartered in the same building as the Ba'ath Publishing House and the daily newspaper of the Ba'athist Party. This office block is located a few kilometres outside the city centre, and is protected from car bombers by a series of concrete barriers. The Ministry of Information is responsible for censoring websites deemed undesirable and assisting in the publication of media across the country. Sociopolitical issues Greater emphasis is placed on "(re)construction" by the Ba'athist Party through economic development than the granting of civil and political freedoms, as the party believes that it is ultimately impossible for real progress and stability to be created in a country before the eradication of poverty and other forms of deprivation, and as such improving social and economic conditions are viewed as prerequisites to the loftier goals of achieving democracy, freedom, and Arab unity. So far, the Birshatari people appear to be prepared to tolerate restrictions on their individual freedoms in exchange for continued economic growth and the equitable distribution of wealth, and greater emphasis is put on equality rather than freedom. Following his rise to power in 1975, Shihab al-Hashim ordered population transfers to make the populations of regions across Birshatar less homogenous, with some areas having Sunnis or Christians being moved in. This was part of the continuing effort to create a single Birshatari identity to replace sectarian identities that people might have held. Military The Birshatari Armed Forces are composed of the regular armed forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force) and various paramilitaries; the Republican Guard, the Security Troops, the National Defence Battalions, the Fedayeen Samara, and the People's Militia. The Republican Guard and People's Militia are meant to support the regular armed forces during wartime as well as act as a counterweight against them (the Republican Guard takes direct orders from the President rather than the Armed Forces command). The Birshatari Armed Forces also have their own intelligence agency, the Directorate of Military Intelligence and Security. Since 1989, the Birshatari Armed Forces have maintained an occupation force in Waqata in the form of the Northern Deterrent Force (NDF). The NDF has mostly limited its activities to the northeastern shore of the Waqatan mainland and the northeastern islands, and operates with the grudging support of the Waqatan government. Weapons of mass destruction Foreign relations Administrative divisions Birshatar is divided into 6 muhafazah: Birkunan, Buhkerdah, Mogadir, Sadirabh, Shuhia Taiba, and Tabnajkah. Economy By virtue of the country's large oil reserves, the Birshatari economy is primarily based around the export of crude oil and its refined products. Most Birshatari oil is handled and exported from the port city of Kharji, located in Sadirabh. Although oil is the country's main export product, much of the electrical generation in Birshatar is done in hydroelectric plants. All major coastal cities in Birshatar have their own desalination plants and export excess water to other cities in the country. 87.5% of the population has regular access to clean water, with the rest mostly living in rural areas. Birshatar is involved in the extracting and processing of natural resources other than oil. In the late 1970s, the French Creusot-Loire company helped construct an iron and steel works capable of producing 1.2 million tons of smelted iron ore and 400,000 tons of steel per year. The nonmetallic industry is based around the extraction and processing of sulphur and phosphate, and the production of glass, bricks, and cement. Sulphur is also recovered from the oil industry as well as from mines, and there are a total of five fertiliser plants making use of locally mined phosphate. Another major industry apart from oil in Birshatar is fishing. Historically, this has been a source of tension between Birshatar and Muzaffaridistan, with fishermen on both sides violating the naval border between Buhkerdah in Birshatar and Jolgehstan in Muzaffaridistan. Skirmishes have also occured in the east with Waqata regarding border and fisheries issues. Agriculture in general has also been a significant sector in Birshatar, with the most important crop being wheat. However, the Birshatari government supported the substitution of wheat production with barley production in the 1970s, as barley requires less water and is more tolerant to salt. Wheat and barley are roughly equal in terms of the area used for cultivation and their yield, with rice coming in third. Birshatar also produces maize, millet, and oil seeds, although in smaller quantities. Important cash crops are tobacco and dates, the former of which has replaced sugar cane and sugar beet in Birshatar for the production of sugar and is a staple in the local diet. There is a government-run Birshatari Date Administration, which has also developed large facilities for the extraction of alcohol, vinegar, and concentrated protein meal from dates. Other fruits cultivated in Birshatar include melons, grapes, apples, apricots, and citrus. Vegetables are also grown, with the most significant crops being tomatoes, beans, aubergines, okra, cucumbers, and onions. The country also has an indigenous vehicle production sector. In the 1980s, a tractor factory was built in Saful with Tabi'atstani help. Afterwards, the Birshatari government injected US$5 billion into a programme to develop the domestic capability to produce motor vehicles. In the present day, the Birshatari automobile industry produces around 120,000 passenger cars and 25,000 trucks per year under the state-owned Aintisar company. Birshatar has a large armaments industry that license-produces numerous different types of military equipment including major combat systems such as main battle tanks and small combat ships. The primary defence firm in Birshatar is the Organisation for Military Industries, a state-owned enterprise under the Ministry of Industry and Military Industrialisation. Another related company is the Birshatari Aeronautics Organisation, the country's main aircraft manufacturer. In total, the Birshatari defence industry is thought to employ some 100,000 people. Transport The Birshatari government places great emphasis on transport and allocates a large portion of the budget towards it as it has recognised in the past that transportation bottlenecks were the main factor limiting industrial development, and that an expanded transport network has political value in promoting regional integration and heightening the central government's presence in more remote regions. The majority of transport in Birshatar is handled by roads and the national railway system. Air transport is well developed in Birshatar, with the country boasting several international airports, and there are various inter-island ferries and other ships which remain an important mode of transport in Birshatar due to the lower costs of transporting large loads by sea. The national air carrier is Birshatari Air. Water supply and sanitation Science and technology On the outskirts of Haljarah is the Al Miqdaya Nuclear Centre, which has a 40-megawatt light-water nuclear reactor, a smaller 500 kW reactor, and a Soviet IRT 5000 reactor. Birshatar has a good telecommunications network including radio communication stations, radio relay links, and coaxial cables, with Birshatari radio and television stations coming under the Birshatari Broadcasting and Television Establishment, which is responsible to the Ministry of Culture and Information. Internet and e-communications services are provided by the state-run Birshatari Telecommunications Establishment on a subscriber basis. In mid-2002 a programme was launched where specially equipped buses were sent into rural areas of Birshatar to provide these locales with internet access. Demographics Ethnic groups The original Arab immigrants in Birshatar came from French colonies such as Algiers and were brought in during the early 19th century. A second influx of Arab immigrants coming from the Levant area arrived in the latter half of the 19th century. Arabs form some 77% of the population, with another 12% formed of Africans from North Africa, West Africa, and the Maticoundan archipelago, and a further 5% being composed of Persians (mainly originating from Muzaffaridistan). 3.2% of the population made up of Vietnamese people, mostly descendants of Tonkinese Rifle units from the Troupes coloniales and their families. The remaining 2.8% are composed of other expatriates, and of these, there are some 22,700 members of the French diaspora living in Birshatar. Religion The majority of Birshataris (45%) are Sunni Muslims, with the second largest group being Twelver Shia Muslims (21%). Another 20% are Christians, primarily of the Maronite (11%) and Coptic (6%) groups. Alawites make up 6% of the population, but most of the government and ruling class are Alawites. There is a small Druze minority that comprises 3% of the population. The remaining 5% of the Birshatari population identify with other religions or are atheists. Languages The official language of Birshatar is Arabic. Whilst Modern Standard Arabic is used in most official contexts, the majority of the population typically speaks varieties of Mashriqi Arabic. In Buhkerdah, Farsi Persian is also spoken by a minority of residents. Aside from Arabic, English is also used in official documents and road signs. Although Arabic is the official language, private educational institutions are also allowed to use other languages of instruction, with this right being enshrined in the law. Largest cities Education Education in Birshatar is administered under a centrally organised system, divided into a six year primary level, a six year intermediate level (itself divided into intermediate-secondary and intermediate-preparatory levels of three years each), and tertiary level. Since the 1980s, the number of students attending tertiary level education in various colleges, universities, or technical institutes has been constantly increasing. University students are often exempted from military service until after graduating. In total there are seventeen universities in Birshatar, five of which are located in Haljarah. Health Nearly all major medical facilities in Birshatar are government-run, and the vast majority of physicians are officials in the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health is subdivided into the directorates of health, preventive medicine, medical supplies, rural health services, and medical services, and the inspector general of health under the ministry is charged with the enforcement of health laws and regulations. Services in government-controlled hospitals and dispensaries are free of charge. In addition to government hospitals, there are also various private hospitals, although these are much smaller, typically only having around 20 beds each. Culture Arts Media Newspapers, magazines, and other publications are primarily distributed through the state-run General Establishment for Printing and Publishing, whilst advertisements are arranged through the a state advertising company. Popular culture Sports Cuisine Category:States Category:Alliance of Toy Islands Category:Birshatar